NATIONAL SECURITY

Five U.S. Military Personnel Also Suspected of Inappropriate Conduct In Colombia

By Kevin Baron and Michael Catalini

Five U.S. Service members are suspected of "inappropriate conduct" related to the Secret Service unit providing security at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia.

"The conduct is alleged to have occurred in the same hotel where the recalled United States Secret Service agents were staying," said a Saturday release by U.S. Southern Command, out of Miami. The members of Joint Task Force "violated the curfew established by the United States Senior Defense Official in Colombia," the command said.

The news of the service members' violation of curfew comes after 12 Secret Service Agents were accused of misconduct on Saturday.

White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Saturday that President Obama, who is in Cartagena, Colombia, for the Summit of the Americas, had been updated on the situation but would not comment on the presiden't reaction.

"It would not be appropriate for the President to characterize something that's being looked into by the Secret Service at this time," Carney said.

The military personnel are now confined to quarters and will return to the U.S. after the mission, with the rest of their unit.

Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser, Southern Command commander, said that he is "disappointed by the entire incident and that this behavior is not in keeping with the professional standards expected of members of the United States military."

Army Col. Scott Malcom, the chief of public affairs for SOUTHCOM, told National Journal on Saturday that service members would face an investigation for their curfew violation.

Malcom, who said he could not identify the service members or what branch of the military they belonged to, said SOUTHCOM found out about the members' involvment after the "brouhaha" with the Secret Service.